And So It Ends
by lizard1969
Summary: One shot. Deathfic. Who is Lauren Hunter really? They should have listened to Callen and trusted his instincts.


One shot. Written really quickly. Sorry if it isn't to standard but I needed to write it. Takes place straight after Backstopped. Hetty is back and Hunter has left and has not become Ashley Thomas. Hetty hasn't revealed any information to Callen yet.

Xxxxxxxx

Romania

"I know who you are. I know your family. I know everything about you!" Her intense glare devouring Callen with her hatred of his family. He looked at her surprised at her response. He didn't expect it. His aim waivered. He had faced this dilemma before with Keelson. Dead men don't speak. He needed Alexa alive. He needed to know what she knew.

Suddenly the door burst open. Without a second thought, Callen swung 180 degrees and saw Lauren Hunter's gun drawn. She was staring at Callen. Callen held his aim. Alexa pulled her gun. She was going to kill Callen.

A weakened Hetty, reached feebly for the kitchen knife and before anyone had time to react, Hetty propelled the knife into Alexa's chest. Her eyes widened with disbelief as she fell to the ground. Callen lowered his gun, as did Hunter.

**Months Later**

Her plan had worked out magnificently. She had meticulously planned it for such a long time. She had made sure that there were no stones left unturned and everything, every minute detail was perfect. She was gloating at her brilliance and her ruthlessness, after all she was a Comescu. There were two more loose ends to tie up before she could go home. She'd go home and take over the Comescu family. She'd pick up the pieces and continue relishing in the fact that her grandfather's mission would be complete. The Callen's were to be no more.

Callen jogged down the stairs looking for the allusive Hunter. When he turned around at the familiarity of the voice, "Looking for me?"

"Hetty? Where's Agent Hunter?" asked a distrusting Callen.

"Oh…not the welcome I was expecting. But Agent Hunter has left to undertake a new assignment," said Hetty, arranging the tea cup on the saucer. "Can I be of any assistance?"

Callen eyed her suspiciously, "No…but good to have you back."

"Thank you." He nodded and started to leave. "Oh Mr. Callen?" Callen turned slightly annoyed. His mind was elsewhere, trying to put together the pieces of their latest case. He needed to find her.

"We need to talk."

"Yes, yes we do. But now isn't the time Hetty," said Callen. He had waited months for Hetty to open up, a couple more hours weren't going to make any difference.

"Fine. When you're done, I'll be waiting," she said as she settled back into her chair, where she belonged.

As far as Callen was concerned Hetty was back and that's all that truly mattered. He had been distant with Hetty but Hunter was occupying his mind. He couldn't shake the feeling that something just wasn't right. Her whole involvement in this case had been too orchestrated and just too convenient. She mentioned something about blaming the game not the players…was **she** playing a game? No. Hetty had to wait. He needed to resolve this thing with Hunter first.

He started for the stairs to look at surveillance videos, hoping to trace Hunter's whereabouts, when he literally crashed into Sam, "Whoa there cowboy! Where's the fire?"

Callen looked up at him, confused, "What?"

"What's with the rush?"

"It's Hunter Sam. Something isn't right. She's gone and Hetty's back…"

"Hetty's back?" said Sam gleefully trying to look around Callen's shoulder.

"Yeah. I need to find her," said Callen preoccupied.

"Let it go G…just let it go. She served her purpose and now she's gone," said Sam shifting his weight from leg to leg trying to make eye contact with Callen.

"Alexa was going to kill me and she didn't shoot Alexa when she entered the room. If it wasn't for Hetty…" said Callen sullenly. "She hesitated…Sam. She hesitated."

"Maybe she wanted to keep her alive, you know, to retrieve information from her. So you could get answers," added Sam.

"No. She burst in and the gun was aimed at me and her stare was cold, Sam. Something is off and I want to know," said Callen, his face focused and determined.

Sam understood Callen's need to know and he didn't want him to go off alone, "Listen…I'll help you. We'll do it together. But first it's been a long day with the nearly-getting-blown-up part. Go home, take a shower and go to bed…do what you do. Tomorrow fresh minds and all, we'll start looking, yeah?"

Callen was reluctant but the big guy made sense, "Ok…give me a lift though. The Aston's in the shop."

"Whatcha do to it?" said Sam.

"Nothing just a service. I'm a great driver," said Callen and they started to walk out of headquarters. That's when Sam eyed Hetty, he nodded and she winked.

"Yeah…driving school. Does that ring a bell?"

"Very funny…still a good driver."

"Whatever G," said Sam.

Sam honked the horn as G waved and headed for the front door. He unlocked the door, disarmed the alarm and plodded over to the fridge not bothering to turn the lights on. After all there wasn't any furniture to bump into. Pulling out a beer, he stretched his back and tenderly touched his ribs. Bruised, definitely bruised. The leap to safety from the explosion was going to leave some interesting bruises on his ribcage. He took a swig and suddenly felt uncomfortable. He turned around. There was nothing. He moved over to the light switch. His hand scanned over the area to switch the light on when the moonlight's beams shone on the barrel of a handgun. Callen froze.

"Callen. Put your hand down. I prefer the moon's natural light," said Hunter.

Callen took another swig of beer and then held it out for her, "Care to join me?"

"No. Put the bottle on the bench please," she said flatly, keeping her face in the shadows.

Callen shrugged his shoulders and did what she wanted. He knew he could take her but she had the loaded gun, "So this is your way of saying goodbye?"

He heard her scoff silently and waited patiently for her rebuttal, "Well in a sense yes. I think I owe you an explanation. You never trusted me did you? When people said you had impeccable instincts, I didn't believe them until now."

Callen felt his anger rising. So he had been right. There was more to Lauren Hunter than what everyone saw, including Hetty. "So is it going to be quid pro quo or will it be 20 questions?"

"Let's start with what you know, Callen," her voice seductively cool and calm.

"Ok…I guess I have nothing to lose since you have the gun. You didn't shoot Alexa in Romania. You fixed your aim on me. Point one. I thought I was a ghost, but you don't exist. No one has heard of you or worked with you…not even FBI or CIA. Strange, don't you think? Then splitting us up, conveniently showing up when we needed someone to help us with the Comescus. You've got your own agenda here Lauren and you have ties to the Comescus unless you've gone soft and developed a sense of loyalty. Is that it? Two years uncover and you've switched sides?" asked Callen almost mockingly. He saw the gun's barrel shake. He had hit a nerve.

"Very observant Callen," she said maintaining her poise, "but you're wrong. I was only ever on one side."

"I have a feeling it wasn't ours."

"See there goes that sixth sense of yours. You see **a **Lauren Hunter came to me three years ago. She had heard that I was estranged from my family and asked if she could use my identity to go undercover." Callen's eyes grew wide. The penny had dropped. "Good. Now you understand. But please let me finish the story." Callen stood still clenching his jaw. "But she underestimated me…you all underestimated the Comescus. What happens between Romani family members is private and no matter the severity of the falling out, we never turn on our family. So I killed Lauren Hunter, had a bit of facial plastic surgery and **I** became her. Brilliant don't you think. I had access to all federal files on my family as I went undercover as myself," she said smiling.

"And no one noticed?" asked Callen trying to stall. He was unsure what to do and was desperately trying to think of a way out.

"No until you started spreading suspicion. Then in Romania, I couldn't kill my aunt. It had to be you until Hetty struck and I decided to bide my time and take justice into my own hands. That is why I'm here Callen," she finished moving slightly closer to Callen.

"To kill me. But before you do, tell me why?" said an angry and trapped Callen.

"No, that too is part of your punishment," and before Callen could move two shots rang out hitting their mark, causing Callen to stagger back.

Callen stood defiant almost ignoring the pain and the blood oozing out of his body, "Just watch…your…back." Keeping eye contact, he fell to his knees and then collapsed to the floor.

Elena Comescu smiled, "For you _Bunic__ă_." Then she left. One more and then she'd disappear.

Callen was racked with pain. He heard her leave as he fought to keep conscious, feeling the sticky wetness of his blood pooling under him. He knew she was heading for Hetty and he had to save her. Taking measured breaths, he pulled out his phone and dialed. It took Sam seconds to answer, "Hey G."

There was silence. Sam threw the towel on the floor, "G?"

"Sam…Hunter…is…Elena…shot..." He coughed and the cough sounded wet.

Sam panicked, "G…"

"She's…(he moaned loudly as the pain overwhelmed him) going after…Hetty…next….sorry," and line went dead.

"G! **G!**" Sam shouted into the phone. They had been played. Callen knew something was wrong. They hadn't listened to him. They thought it was just his ego, just the whole personal angle of the affair. Sam rang 911, "Federal agent GSW, male, 24 Rosedale Dr…hurry!"

Then he rang Hetty, "Mr. Hanna? Pleasant surprise. I gather you-"

"Lauren Hunter is Elena. Callen's been shot. She's after you next. Kensi, Deeks and LAPD will be there shortly. Watch your back," shouted Sam.

Hetty froze and dropped the phone. She had made a mistake. She never made mistakes. She grabbed the arm of the antique chair and eased herself into it. Moments passed as she felt an immense sense of foreboding and ineptitude. Then she felt the slight presence, "Hello Hetty."

But Elena never stood a chance, shots rang out from all around. The team had protected their mother hen.

Sam risked life and limb driving like a maniac to get to Callen. Eric had told him which hospital Callen had been taken to. Rushing past the people everything became a blur. Last time **he** was there, last time **he **had held his partner, last time Callen had made it. This time Sam hadn't been there.

Sam bulldozed his way through to the emergency desk, "GSW male…"

"Sir, please," she said trying to placate the other people who had been waiting, "wait you turn."

Sam had no time for this. He pulled out his badge, "I repeat, gun shot victim, male."

"Callen, G?" asked the nurse, intimidated beyond belief. The other people had moved back, afraid of the agent.

"Yeah. Is he alive?" the question sticking in his throat.

The nurse trembled. "I can't disclose that information sir. You need to wait for the doctor."

"Can't you tell me anything?" begged Sam.

"Sorry."

Moments passed and Sam was joined by Hetty, Deeks and Kensi. The doctor emerged. "Family of G. Callen?" Sam nodded. The doctor's face was sullen. He looked intently at the group. "I am sorry. We did everything we could. The internal damage was extensive as was the blood loss. I'm sorry."

Kensi broke down first as the tears flowed fast and free. Deeks gathered her into his arms and gently eased her into a chair, holding onto her like a child. Deeks would find time to grieve when all was said and done.

Sam stood frozen, as did Hetty. There was nothing to say and there was nothing else to do. The warring families were no more. Callen was no more.

"May he finally find peace," was all Hetty could say as a defeated Sam walked away.

fin


End file.
